Robin's changing roles (From Gazette & Herald)

Robin's changing roles

A HAWNBY farmer has added another string to his bow by setting up a delivery business.

At the end of last year, Robin Nicholson took heavy goods vehicle driver training and passed his tests with flying colours.

Robin said: "With farming in the hills producing a low return, I wanted to look to another source of income and thanks to the training I received I'm now able to drive an articulated lorry and tanker.

"It means I can start a new business delivering ammonia to inject into straw bales at farms all over the north-east."

Robin was able to take the training thanks to a grant from a new funding scheme, Land-based and Rural Training (LART).

The scheme, which is part-funded by North Yorkshire County Council through the Single Regeneration Budget, gives farmers and members of North Yorkshire's rural community the opportunity to gain new skills to enable them to improve job prospects.

Funding is available for a number of courses for any person living and working in the rural community in North Yorkshire.

These courses include HGV training, fork lift training and food hygiene. Around half the costs of the course can be met by a grant.

As for Robin, he's now set his sights on earning a fork lift truck certificate, to further his skills even more.

For further information about funding for training, contact Stefanie McInnes on (01642) 724962, Angela Sims on (01609) 772359 or Linda Bower on (01944) 758379.

Updated: 12:55 Wednesday, October 01, 2003